I was looking to get into an epic fantasy, and I got a lot more than I asked for. Malazan is huge, and it touches on so many aspects of human nature. The series can be seen as a debate about everything, from poverty, to war, to politics... So much is touched by that book. It really gives a different viewpoint on what is really good and what is really evil. It's also jammed pack with action and intrigue. I personally hated GM's Song of Fire and Ice series (especially after book 3), and I found Malazan to be exactly what I wanted out of a fantasy epic.